WinHEC Preview: 64-Bit Goes Live

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While a lot of eyes are on the Longhorn ball, the official launch of 64-bit Windows is the big news at this year’s Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC).

64-bit processors have been available in both the server and desktop PC markets for some time now, but the lack of mainstream operating system support has held back many software developers. While 64-bit Linux has been available for over a year, only a few commercial applications have appeared. Microsoft has made beta versions of Windows XP Professional 64-bit and Windows Server 2003 64-bit available, so applications developers have been busy prepping software, and the hardware manufacturers are hard at work developing drivers.

On the desktop side, Windows XP Professional x64 will ship as an OEM product. No boxed retail upgrades or retail full versions will be available. Noted Greg Sullivan, lead product manager with Microsoft’s Windows group, only about 4% of existing Windows users actually upgrade their operating systems.

You will be able to obtain a copy, though, from OEM channels. For example, if you bought a computer from a major supplier, you should contact it about upgrade plans. Alternatively, you can contact local “white box” shops for copies. There have been discussions about free upgrades for existing Windows XP users, but the mechanism for that isn’t clear yet.

Driver support is still a little spotty. Gamers are probably the class of users in the best shape, as 64-bit graphics, core logic, audio, and networking drivers will be available from day one. Drivers for older scanners and printers may be spotty at first. Another issue of concern for gamers is device-driver-level content-protection schemes, such as StarForce, used in many current Ubisoft gamer releases. Ksenia Zakharova of StarForce noted in an email exchange that the 64-bit version is in testing now, for a projected late-May release. But it’s unclear when the game publishers might make versions available for their customers.

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